Free Nutritious Meal Programme Resumes, Chicken Prices in Cirebon Immediately Soar

The price of broiler chicken in traditional markets has experienced a significant surge in recent days. This is suspected to be related to the resumption of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme following the end of the school holidays.

A food vendor on Jalan Siliwangi, Cirebon City, West Java, Surti, said the price of broiler chicken she purchased yesterday reached Rp 32,000 per kilogramme (kg). Previously, when she bought chicken, the price was still Rp 25,000 per kg.

“I was very shocked. It wasn’t a price increase, but a price change,” Surti said when met in Cirebon on Friday (17/7/2026). Surti stated that based on her experience, chicken price increases usually occur gradually, in the range of Rp 1,000 to Rp 2,000 per day.

However, this time the price surge occurred significantly all at once. Surti mentioned that according to information she received, the chicken price increase was due to the resumption of the MBG programme. Meanwhile, during the period when MBG was not operating due to the school holidays, chicken prices fell to between Rp 25,000 and Rp 26,000 per kg. “The price of eggs has not risen yet, still Rp 25,000 per kilogramme,” Surti added.